BELFAST, Maine — A Jay woman accused of driving dangerously was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs Wednesday morning on Route 3 in Belfast, according to police.
Another motorist reported Brianna L. Dawson, 23, to police about 8 a.m., saying that she was operating her vehicle in a dangerous manner, Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden said Wednesday. Dawson was traveling east on Route 3, after having apparently overshot her intended destination in Montville by several miles, according to the police chief. He said she also may have struck and damaged some guardrails in the town of Morrill.
“Her operation was so bad, the motorist behind her took notice,” he said. “The passenger took photos of how bad it was. We have pictures of her car in the breakdown lane of the oncoming lane of traffic.”
Sgt. Dan Fitzpatrick responded to the call and saw the oncoming vehicle pass him at the Belfast-Belmont town line, McFadden said. His pursuit of Dawson was made more difficult by the thick fog that obscured vision on the roadway Wednesday morning.
“He made a U-turn and made his way back up to the car in question,” McFadden said. “The fog was so thick he couldn’t see the vehicle. He turns his blue lights on, and vehicles start pulling over for him. He was trying to catch up to this car. When he thought he was probably about to catch up with it, he couldn’t see it. Turns out it was in the opposite lane of traffic. That’s why he couldn’t see it.”
Fitzpatrick did eventually pull over Dawson and “immediately recognized signs of impairment,” McFadden said.
“She did admit to taking some sort of narcotic medication,” the chief said.
In addition to being charged with operating under the influence of drugs, she was charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident.
Dawson was taken to Waldo County Jail to be booked and remained there on Wednesday afternoon, according to a jail official.